BELFAST (Jan 14): A Labrador puppy and her mother were safe Sunday afternoon after plunging through the ice on Goose River.

Belfast Police Patrolman Eric Kelley said a call came into the Waldo Regional Communications Center at 12:15 p.m. that two dogs had fallen through the ice behind Goose River Grocery on Route 141.

Kelley and rescue officials with an ice sled responded to the scene and when they arrived at 12:23 p.m., a passerby had already helped the dogs to solid ground.

Kelley said it appeared that the puppy, a black Lab, had wandered onto the ice and its mother, a chocolate Lab, tried to corral it. Both ended up breaking through the ice and going into the chilly river.

Passerby Gil Golub, 54, apparently crawled out on the ice to help the pooches.

Meanwhile, the owner of the dogs, Brandon Colby of Swan Lake Avenue, had called dispatch to report that his dogs had gotten loose. Kelley said Colby was apparently unaware his dogs had fallen into the river.

While Kelley applauded Golub being a good Samaritan, he emphasized that ice is not safe on ponds and rivers and that trained personnel were on their way. He worried about the chain reaction that could have resulted among the gathering crowd if Golub had broken through the ice as well.

The dogs, said Kelley, did not require immediate veterinary attention.